Deadbeat son steals parents' savings

WHEN Lawrence Andrew Couper’s father died in 2014, he had no idea his son had spent the final years of his life secretly ripping him off.

The 57-year-old New Zealand man pleaded guilty to five representative charges of theft by a person in a special relationship and was sentenced to six months’ community detention when he appeared in Dunedin District Court yesterday.

With interest and lawyers’ fees included, his parents’ estate lost $NZ316,322 ($A290,445) due to his actions.

Mr Couper’s mother Roberta, a double amputee who died in June, had said she did not want her son imprisoned for the breach of trust — and it was those wishes that saved him from a custodial sentence, Judge Kevin Phillips said.

When she went into a residential care centre in 2008, her husband Peter followed soon after, when he developed dementia.

Their family home was sold for $NZ246,000 ($A225,876) and Mr Couper was given enduring power of attorney over the funds.

Aside from payments to the care centre, the elderly couple’s personal spending all but dried up by the end of 2009.

But Mr Couper, who had lost his job, had access to the accounts, cards, and PINs and he bled them dry.

The defendant was given the job of overseeing his parents’ accounts because of his background in accounting, but his brother was cautious about giving him free rein, asking to check bank statements as early as 2010.

But Mr Couper repeatedly made excuses and the embezzlement became a near daily occurrence.

Over a five-year period, he made 833 dishonest transactions.

Judge Phillips called it “relentless’’.

The summary of facts broke down the different areas of his life in which Mr Couper spent his parents’ money.

While shopping at supermarkets for them, he helped himself to a variety of goods, paying with their bank card.

At one store, New World, he bought sauvignon blanc, dark beer, cheese, crackers and condoms, the investigation found.

Mr Couper splurged nearly $NZ5000 ($A4600) on meals and drinks, $NZ2500 ($A2295) on vehicle repairs and servicing, $NZ7500 ($A6886) on homewares and $NZ7000 ($A6427) on school and sports fees for his children.

Where the sum really blew out was when he brazenly diverted more than $NZ40,000 ($A36,727) to cover his mortgage and nearly $NZ120,000 ($A110,183) in direct debit transfers to his own bank account.

“Your mother is not here to see the shame of her son standing here in the dock before me,’’ the judge said.

Counsel Cate Andersen said her client had been unable to make things right with his mother before her death.

He had, however, met his sister at a restorative justice conference and the court heard she too wanted Mr Couper to stay out of prison so he could work on paying back the debt.

After selling his home, the remaining amount owed was $NZ36,729 ($A33,724).

Judge Phillips ordered he pay it back at $NZ120 ($A110) a month.

At that rate, Mr Couper would be 82 before the debt was settled.

As well as community detention, the man was given 400 hours’ community work and nine months’ supervision.